peckham



model. I I 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. T. E. PEUKHAIVL.

'WINDMILL.

Nq. 243,721. Patented July 5, 1881.

( 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

E. ,PEGKHAM.

WINDMILL.

No. 243,721. Patented July 5, 1881."

N, PETERS, Phulb-Lilhognpher. wan-.inmn. D. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT ()EFICE.

THOMAS E. PECKHAM, OF BUCKNER, MISSOURI.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 243,721, dated July 5,1881.

Application filed January 29, 1881. (ModeL) To all whom it may concern;-

Be it known that I, THOMAS E. PEOKHAM, a citizen of the United States,residing at Buckner, in the county of Jackson and State of Missouri,have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Windmills; and I dohereby declare the following tobe a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to whichit appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, and to letters or figures of reference markedthereon, which form a part of this specification.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a top-plan View of a horizontal wind-engine provided with my improvement. Fig. 2 is a bottom -plan view of thewind wheel detached from its axle. Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinalsection taken through the main axle and wheel; and Figs. 4, 5, 6, 7, and8 represent detached portions of my improvement.

Similar letters of reference in the several drawings denote similarparts.

Owners and users of wind-engines have heretofore experienced muchtrouble and annoyance, as well as pecuniary loss, by the breakage ordisplacement of parts of said engines or their attached machinery, suchbreakage or displacement of parts being due in the majority of cases tothe imperfect means employed to govern the extent of surface of theblades or fans exposed to the variable forces of the wind. Another andcommon cause of trouble and annoyance is the fact that wind-enginesprovided with verylarge as well as small windwheels sometimes,particularly in light or moderate winds, fail to exert the requisiteamount of power to operate their attached machinery, such failureusually being caused by the reaction of the air upon. the backs of theblades or fans, thus necessitating the expenditure of a considerableamount of powerin the mere turning of the wheel. This is especially trueof engines wherein the blades or fans are rigidly attached to the hub ofthe wheel, and many attempts have been made to overcome this defeet; butin the majority of cases such attempts I have only tended to complicatethe parts, and thus render thewheel more easily disarrangedeasily-operated wind-engine has been the object of this invention; andto this end it consists in a horizontal wind-engine provided with meanswhereby the extent of surface of the blades or fans exposed to theaction of the wind may be and is regulated and governed by the forceexerted upon such blades or fans, substantially as hereinafter set forthand described.

It further consists in means whereby the blades orfans, when returningagainst the wind, are caused to feather or present their edges to thewind, as hereinafter set forth.

It also consists in means whereby the blades or fans may beautomatically feathered or closed, thus bringing the wheel to rest.

It also consists in means whereby the crank or pitman wheelmay be madeto revolve faster or slower at equal revolutions of the windwheel,substantially as hereinafter set forth; and it finally consists in thearrangement and operation of the various parts as awhole, substantiallyas herein described.

Referring to the drawings, A represents the wind-wheel, mounted upon avertical axle, B, secured to the upper part of the derrick or frame 0.The hub A of the wheel A is outwardly flanged at its lower portion, asshown at a, Fig.3, and is provided upon its lower surface with twoconcentric rows of gear-teeth,a a for a purpose hereinafter set forth.

Extending outwardly from the hub A are a series of spokes or arms, A theouter ends of which are hollowed out to receive and hold in place a bandorhoop, A, which passes about the spokes, and is secured together at itsends by a screw-connection, ad. I preferably construct the band or hoopA of small round iron rods, and in order to combine strength withlightness I construct the above-described wheel in concave form upon itsupper side, as shown in Fig. 3.

I have found by experimentthat wind-wheels havingconcave upper sides, asabove described, are much stronger than wheels having their upper sidesin the horizontal plane, inasmuch as in the former the spokesext-endingin an upwardly direction operate as struts or braces againstthe band or hoop surrounding the wheel, the weight of said band or hoopserving to more firmly bind the several parts together, while in wheelshaving the spokes extending out- ICO wardly from the hub in thehorizontal plane the weight of the band or hoop would tend to sag orbend the outer ends of the spokes downward, thus injuring the wheel, aswill be readily understood by those skilled in the art to which myinvention appertains.

Pivoted in any suitable manner to the spokes A is a series of blades orfans, D, one edge of which, (I, is slightly heavier than the other, andnorm ally rests upon a second band or hoop, d, of smaller diameter thanthe hoop A and placed below the spokes, as shown. The hoop d is held inplace by suitable guideways, e, in a frame or frames, E, attached to anddepending below the spokes A The frame E may be in form as shown, havingthe upwardly-extending parts 0 6 0 or in any other suitable form,provided always the same result be attained. I

Pivoted at e to the lower side of the frame E is a rod or rods,f,provided at its lower end with a governor-ball, F, provided with asetscrew,f, whereby it may be secured at any point upon the rod f.Pivoted atf to the rod fis a second rod or link,f which extends to theband or hoop (1, its end being loosely turned about the latter, asshown.

From the foregoing description it will be clearly seen that when thewheel is rotated rapidly the ball F will, from centrifugal force, swingoutward, and thus, through the link f and loop (1, close or feather theblades or fans; and it will be also readily understood that the outwardswing of the balls may be varied in regard to the speed of the wheel byplacing the balls at different heights upon the rod f.

. I preferably employ four of the above-described governors at pointsequidistant from each other; but I do not wish to limit myself to thatexact number, inasmuch as the number may properly vary in proportion asthe wheel is larger or smaller.

Pivoted to each alternate arm or spoke, and near the inner ends thereof,is a series of bent levers, G, the lower ends of which pass outwardbelow the ring or hoop d. The levers G extend upward above the hub A,and are connected by a link, g, to a plate, G, as shown.

The main axle B is provided with aflange, b, that rests upon the headsof the derrick-frame timbers, and with a bifurcated lower portion, 1),that is secured between said heads by bolts or theirequivalents. Thecenterof theaxleis hollow throughout its length for the accommodation ofa rod, G which extends from the plate G, through the axle B, to theground or to the outer end, 'i, of a lever, I, fulcrumed upon one sideof a water-tank, I. The opposite end, i, of the lever I is provided witha float, V, by which, when the water rises in the tank, the fans D areclosed through the medium of the rod G and levers G, as will be readilyunderstood.

The bifurcated lower part of the axle B is provided with suitable boxesor bearings, b in which is journaled. the shaft h of the geared pitmanor crank wheel H, the gear-teeth h of which mesh into and derive motionfrom the gear-teeth a a upon the hub A.

Upon the end of the shaft It, and opposite the wheel H, I secure acollar, h and to the frame 0, below the collar, I attach a bracket, itin the manner shown in Fig. 3. The drawings show the wheel H as being inengagement with the outer row of gear-teeth, a, upon the hub A. When itis desired to change to the inner row of gear-teeth it is only necessaryto remove the bracket h and draw the shaft it back until the wheel Hregisters with the teeth a and then replace the bracket, with the collarh bearing against the outside of the bracket.

The wheel A is held in position upon the axle B by a nut, K, the uppersurface of which is hollowed, as shown at 70, Fig. 5, for the purpose ofholding lubricants, suitable vents, being provided in the nut, throughwhich said lubricants reach the axle-bearing.

In order that the pitm an-rod H may be made to take greater or lessextent of stroke, I provide a series of holes in the crank-wheel H atdifferent distances from the center of said wheel, as shown in Fig. 6,the wrist-pin being changed from one to another as desired.

I provide the wrist-pin of the crank-wheel, and also the bearings b ofthe shaft h, with suitable oil-boxes.

From the foregoing description the operation of my improved wind-enginewill be readily understood by those skilled in the art to which itappertains.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is-- 1. In a horizontal wind-engine, the concavewind-wheel A, having the flanged and geared hub A, spokes A of metalrods, and provided with blades or fans D, and firmly bound together bythe binding rod or band A substantially as herein described.

2. In a horizontal wind-engine, the blades or fans I), loosely pivotedindependently of each other to the spokes A in such manner that one edgeof said fans or blades shall be heavier than their opposite sides, saidheavy sides or edges normally resting upon a hoop, 61, below the spokes,substantially as described.

3. In a horizontal wind-engine, a band or hoop, d, of smaller diameterthan the wheel, and operating in guideways e in the pendent frame E,whereby the blades or fans D may be maintained in more or less closedposition, substantially as described.

4. In ahorizontal wind-engine, the combina tion of a band or hoop cl,situate in pendent frames E, attached to the spokes A with theconnecting rod orlink f rod f, and ball F, whereby the band or hoop dmay be raised when the windwheel is rapidly revolved, substantially asdescribed, for the purpose specified.

5. In a horizontal wind-engine, the bent levers G, pivoted to the armsor spokes A, and

operating through the links g, cap G ,and rod G to close or feather thefans D when desired, substantially as described.

6. In a horizontal wind-engine, the combina- 5' tion of the fans orblades D, hoop d, bentlevers G, and rod G with the lever I, fulcrumed onthe water-tank I and provided with the float 2' whereby, when said floatis raised by water, the fans D may be automatically closed or 10feathered, substantially as described.

7. In a horizontal wind-engine, the vertical hollow axle B, having thebifurcated lower portion, I), and flanges b, and provided at its upperend with the nut K, substantially as de- 1 5 scribed.

8. In a horizontal wind-engine, the combination of the geared hub A,geared pitmanwheel H on shaft h, said shaft having bearings in thebifurcated lower portion of the axle B, and provided with a collar, hwith the bracket 20 k on the derrick frame 0, whereby by moving thecollar from one to the other side of said bracket the wheel may be madeto engage with the inner or outer gear-segments, a ed, on the hub A,substantially as described. 25 In testimony whereof I affix my signaturein presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS E. PEOKHAM.

Witnesses:

O. S. MoMrLLIN, W. A. J oHNsoN.

